Pairfob: coding agents on your phone
Pairfob
A CLI for macOS and Linux: Codex, Claude Code and Grok sessions on your computer open on your phone via QR, end-to-end encrypted
- 183 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
- Apache-2.0
Broad access
Why this level
- After pairing, a device controls the terminal and agents on the computer, including running commands and answering permission prompts
- The daemon runs permanently with autostart and traffic goes through the external pairfob.com relay
- The installer downloads and executes a script from the network
Install
- Works in
Manual install
curl -fsSL https://pairfob.com/install.sh | shFor macOS and Linux. The script installs Pairfob and Herdr if missing and enables autostart. Read the script before running it.
Access and checks
How we reviewBroad accessThe tool can change data, run commands or handle secrets.
- After pairing, a device controls the terminal and agents on the computer, including running commands and answering permission prompts
- The daemon runs permanently with autostart and traffic goes through the external pairfob.com relay
- The installer downloads and executes a script from the network
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
Pairfob moves control of coding agents to a phone, tablet or another computer. Agents keep running on the main machine, and after a one-time pairing the device opens the same live sessions, not copies. The computer dials out on its own, no inbound ports or VPN are needed, and the channel is end-to-end encrypted. The installer sets up the `pairfob` daemon, adds the Herdr terminal manager if missing and enables start at login. `pairfob pair` shows a QR code and a numeric code, and the phone opens a pairing page; no account is required. Sessions come from Herdr: those started there or from the phone appear in the list, while an agent in an unrelated terminal is not visible. In the app a "Needs you" strip shows waiting agents, the Control, Terminal and Chat modes suit different tasks, and the viewer offers files, git status and a diff with line comments. Subscription allowance for Codex, Claude Code, Copilot, Cursor and Grok is collected separately.
Who it is for. Developers who run long Claude Code or Codex tasks on a home computer and want to answer agent prompts from a phone.
Good fit when
- An agent stalled on a permission question and you have left home
- A long session runs on a workstation and you want to check the diff from the couch
- One phone has to switch between several computers
- Remote access is wanted without port forwarding or a VPN
- Sessions already live in Herdr and you want the same tabs on a second device
Not a fit when
- The computer runs Windows: support there is not declared
- The agent runs in a regular terminal outside Herdr: Pairfob will not see it
- The machine often sleeps or loses its network: the link holds only while the computer is on and online
- Company policy forbids routing session traffic through a third-party relay
Example request
Show which agent sessions are waiting for my answer now, and give me the pairing flow for a new phone.Limitations
It runs on macOS and Linux; Windows is not supported. The computer must stay on and online. Pairfob does not install or sign in agents: set them up on the computer first. Terminal mode works without an agent.
The phone needs only a browser. The Android app is in beta: an APK for manual installation on Android 7.0 and newer, not available in the Play Store.
Traffic goes through the `pairfob.com` relay, which by the author's description forwards only ciphertext. The installer runs through `curl | sh`. The repository's last commit is from November 2026.
How to disable. Unpair a device with `pairfob forget 1` or by name. Full removal and installer options are described in the Install section at pairfob.com/doc/install.
FAQ
How do I open a Claude Code session on my phone?
Install Pairfob on the computer, run `pairfob pair` and scan the QR code at pairfob.com/pair. The session must run in Herdr: an agent in an unrelated terminal does not show up in the list.
Do I need an account, a VPN or open ports?
No. No Pairfob account is required, the computer dials out on its own and inbound ports stay closed. Traffic goes through a relay, and where possible the connection upgrades to a direct WebRTC channel.
What can the relay see?
By the author's description, only ciphertext: pairing uses the `SPAKE2+` protocol with a code both sides confirm, and session keys are hardened with Argon2id and kept only on the computer and paired devices.
Does Pairfob work on Windows?
No. The computer side runs on macOS and Linux, Windows is not supported. The phone needs only a browser, and the Android app is in beta.
Which commands does pairfob have?
`pairfob` shows status, `pairfob pair` pairs a device, `pairfob list` lists paired ones, `pairfob forget 1` unpairs by index or name, `pairfob doctor` diagnoses the machine and changes nothing, `pairfob update` updates and restarts.
Discussion
No questions or reviews yet.
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README in short
The README walks through three steps: install, pair, open a session. It then describes app features, the Android beta, the security model and the `pairfob` commands. A path table shows the repository layout: daemon, phone app, relay and Herdr plugin.